


Up in the woods, down on my mind

by cassiopeiasara



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mission injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 21:32:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8684101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiopeiasara/pseuds/cassiopeiasara
Summary: Every new element of this mission seemed like a horror movie checklist of sure ways to die

The one where Patty gets injured on a mission and Holtz takes care of her.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DiNovia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiNovia/gifts).



> A/N: For my lovely friend dinovia on her birthday. I hope you enjoy it my dear! No beta so all mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own these ladies and I seek no profit. Title from Bon Iver's "Woods"

Patty knew becoming a ghostbuster was a constant tease with death. She also knew that someone like her usually got the hell out of a scary movie or died in the first ten minutes. Every time she successfully returned from a mission, she was thankful she'd beaten the odds. But  _this,_  this might definitely lead to her inevitable demise.

She should have known it was trouble when Erin explained the haunting was in a resort cabin. Resort didn't sound so bad until the owner let them know it was their most remote cabin that housed the haunting.

The team drudged up the small hill where the cabin was located and Patty couldn’t help but look back at how far the rest of the cabins and main building were. The haunted cabin was two stories with shingle style roofs that Patty knew meant it was probably built some time in the twenties with updates to give it more of a modern feel for the resort. Rather than the cozy get away feel they were probably going for, the large trees surrounding it lent a sense of eeriness that caused a chill to run down Patty’s spine.

Patty’s dread of the situation only increased when the decision to split up was made. Thankfully, they were in pairs but splitting up was still such a precarious game. Erin and Abby took the right side of the cabin while Patty and Holtz took the left. 

The snow crunched loudly beneath her feet and she tried to slow her movement so her steps were quieter. The only problem with this method was that Holtz zipped ahead of her and it wasn’t long before Patty was squinting just to keep sight of her. Patty readjusted her pack, trying to quell the fear growing inside of her. Every new element of this mission seemed like a horror movie checklist of sure ways to die. Eventually, they rounded a corner and it started to snow again obscuring their visibility. 

“Holtzy!” called Patty but she didn’t receive an answer. She heaved a heavy sigh. Honestly, this was not the time to be playing games. She shook the snow from her braids and tried to get a little closer to the cabin. 

Suddenly, something flew so fast beside her, it knocked her to the ground.

Her last thought before she blacked out was,  _am I really gonna go out like this?_

* * *

She woke up to murmurs around her but her head ached so much, she couldn’t quite identify the voices. 

When she tried to remember what happened, her headache increased and she groaned as she tried to move. A hand stopped her. 

“Just stay still.”  The voice was hard to identify but before she succumbed to darkness again, she thought she might have caught a flash of blonde.

* * *

It was warmer when Patty woke a second time. She noticed she was in a room surrounded by the oddest bear decorations she’d ever seen. The walls were wood and there was softness beneath her. How did she end up in a bed?

She pulled her arms up and attempted to lift herself. She groaned at the ache in her muscles and her head. 

There was a whispered, “Patty” that came from somewhere to her left. 

Holtzmann appeared a moment later. Her eyes ran over the length of Patty’s body and if it weren’t for the worry in them, Patty might have felt quite the delighted shiver from being on the receiving end of Holtz’s concentrated gaze. 

Holtz tilted her head. “What are you doing?”

Patty quirked an eyebrow. “What’s it look like? I’m tryin’ to get up.” 

Patty attempted to push herself up again to no avail. She groaned as she gave up and laid back down.

Holtz bit her lip and flitted her eyes back and forth between Patty and the headboard. “I don’t think that’s allowed.”

Patty tilted her head and immediately regretted the action. The ache in her head had dulled but it was still more severe than she prefered. 

“What do you mean allowed?”

Holtz adjusted her glasses and gestured toward Patty. “You got knocked out.”

Patty considered rolling her eyes for a moment but remembered the pain from her head tilt and just opted for a raise of her eyebrows. “Yeah, I figured that out. Why would that mean I can’t move?”

Holtz pointed to Patty’s head. “Doc said you might have a concussion. Gotta make sure you don’t sleep for longer than two hours.”

“Oh,” said Patty. She could believe that. She realized her head probably ached from being hit by something. “What happened?”

Holtz removed her glasses and fiddled with them as she explained, “I thought I could get him. I was on the other side when he lept for you.” Her eyes didn’t meet Patty’s as she whispered, “But I got him Pats, I did.”

Patty tried to reach for Holtz’s hand but Holtz stepped back too far during her explanation. 

“Baby?”

Holtz looked up at that and saw Patty’s offered hand. She placed her glasses back on and gently took Patty’s hand, placing it back on the bed. She wagged her finger at Patty. “Don’t strain yourself.”

Patty nodded. “Where are Erin and Abby?”

Holtz pulled a chair closer and sat with her feet on the bed beside Patty. She was careful not to drop them in her usual manner and the gentleness of the gesture was not lost on Patty. Holtz pulled her hands behind her head and leaned back on them. 

“They went for supplies. Not much here since the ghost drove everyone away. But because we caught him, we get a free overnight stay in this swanky place.”

Patty smiled and nodded. “Way to find the silver linin’ Holtzy.”

Holtz shrugged. She pulled her hands from her head to her lap and stared at them while she started to twiddle her thumbs.  

When she wouldn’t meet Patty’s eyes again, it was clear something was weighing on her. Patty took a deep breath and tried to sit up again. She managed to pull herself up a little, keeping her movement slow and measured. She expected Holtz to possibly turn toward her or stop her from moving again but Holtz did neither. She stopped moving her thumbs but she didn’t say or do anything else.  

“What’s wrong?” asked Patty as she turned slightly toward her. The movement caused a sharp pain in her side but she didn’t want to alarm Holtz so she took a deep breath to mask her hiss.

Holtz shook her head and looked up to stare at a spot on the wall. “I should have answered when you called out. I was trying to trick the ghost but if I could have warned you, if I…”

Patty offered her a gentle smile and patted the space next to her. “Come here.”

Holtz withdrew her feet from the bed and moved to perch by Patty’s side. She sat down more carefully than Patty had ever seen her approach anything. Holtz kept her eyes down and Patty tapped Holtz’s fingers with one of her own.  

“Look at me.”

Holtz slowly lifted her eyes to meet Patty’s. Patty’s heart ached at how broken she looked, how worried. She hadn’t seen such an expression since possessed Abby almost threw Holtz out of the window.

Patty winced a little as she took Holtz’s hand. She smiled as Holtz’s eyes widened. “I’m okay baby. A little bruised but okay. It’s not your fault, you did what you were supposed to do. You got the ghost and I’m safe. Don’t go beatin’ yourself up about it.”

Holtz nodded and squeezed Patty’s hand. “Are you sure?” 

Patty chuckled softly. “Come on baby, one ghost can’t permanently bring down Patty. You should know me better than that.”

Holtz smiled a little at that. “Hungry?”

Patty thought for a moment and her stomach answered for her with a growl. 

Holtz shrugged. “There’s not much in the way of sustenance but I found soup and it’s not expired.”

Patty quirked an eyebrow. “Is it really not expired or just not expired by your standards?”

Holtz crossed her arms and lowered her glasses, giving Patty a wink. “Come on Pats, have a little faith.”

Patty’s stomach growled again. “Well, I guess I got no choice.”

Holtz set about warming the soup and by the time Patty was done, exhaustion set in. 

She felt her eyes start to droop and was faintly aware of Holtz’s hands as they took away her bowl. 

“Thank you,” whispered Patty. 

Holtz nodded and moved to take her chair before Patty stopped her. “Where you goin’?”

Holtz crossed her eyebrows. “You’re sleeping.”

“Mmm,” muttered Patty as she settled against the pillows. “Stay.”

She fell asleep pretty quickly after that.

* * *

When she woke up again, it was to Erin’s gentle shaking. 

“Hey,” she said softly as Patty turned toward her. 

“Hey,” replied Patty. She tried to sit up and noticed an unfamiliar weight at her side. Holtz was curled around her. She looked back at Erin. 

Erin shrugged. “We tried to move her but she refused. She said you asked her to stay.”

Patty smiled softly at Holtz as the other woman nestled closer.

She turned back to Erin. “What time is it?”

“About two or so. Holtz was supposed to keep waking you but when she fell asleep, I thought I’d stay down here just in case she missed it.”

Patty nodded slowly. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before something occurred to her. “How did y’all get me in here?”

Erin chuckled softly. “Well, after Holtz insisted she could do it by herself, Abby managed to flag down one of the people that works here and he helped her carry you in.”

Patty looked back down at Holtz. “What did she manage to carry? My arm?”

Erin shook her head. “No, actually all she let the guy carry was your legs. She told him she wouldn’t let anyone else be responsible for transporting your beautiful face and arms and…” Patty noticed a slight blush in Erin’s face as she paused. “Let’s just say she was very concerned about keeping you intact.”

Patty quirked an eyebrow. “I see.”

Holtz started to stir next to her and Erin got up to leave. She squeezed Patty’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Patty patted her hand. “Thanks.”

Erin made her way to the room she was sharing with Abby just in time for Holtz to open her eyes. 

“Pats?”

“I’m here, baby.”

Holtz wiped her bangs from her eyes and checked her watch. “Good.” She moved to get up but Patty stopped her.

“You’re supposed to stay, remember?”

Holtz beamed. “Can’t get enough of me huh Pats? Taking advantage in my fragile state.”

Patty chuckled. “I think I’m the one in a fragile state here Holtzy.”

Holtz shook her head. “Nah, you’re Patty Tolan, remember?” Holtz paused as she lifted her hands in air quotes, “‘One ghost can’t permanently bring down Patty’”

Patty nodded. “And don’t you forget it.”

Holtz settled back against Patty’s side and whispered, “I won’t.”

Patty threw an arm over Holtz’s shoulders and squeezed. “Thanks for taking care of me, baby.”

Holtz reached up and cupped Patty’s cheek. “Always.”  She caressed Patty’s cheek for a moment before dropping her hand down and pointing at Patty. “Now,  _sleep_ , Holtzy’s orders.”

Patty laughed and closed her eyes.


End file.
